But here it is, and it is done, and there are so many people who have had a hand in that, who have put their work in, their minds in, their sweat in, and I’ve got this horrible paranoid thought that I’m going to forget someone. If that someone is you, trust that I am sorry, and that one day not far from now I will wake from a dead sleep, with bloodshot eyes, screaming your name.
Seriously, though, that paranoia is probably unfounded. How could I forget any of these folks, who have done so much?
Melissa Frain, editor of editors. Never have I received one of your editorial suggestions with any other reaction than, “Duh! Of course!” and smacking myself in the head for not spotting it myself. You are right on. Brilliant, and amazing to work with. Thank you for making these books. It’s a true team effort. They’re ours.
Adriann Ranta, super agent. You are always one hundred percent on top of things, and that’s no exaggeration. You are also brilliant, and amazing to work with. Thank you for having more faith in my writing than I deserve.
Alexis Saarela, publicist supreme. Thanks for being flexible with me this year, and not wringing my neck when I had trouble coordinating all those tour dates. Thank you for coordinating all those tour dates. You are so good at what you do. I’ve been lucky, lucky to have you.
Seth Lerner, the art team at Tor, and Eithné O’Hanlon, the artist who created the redesigned cover art, thank you for making them pretty.
Thanks to Amy Stapp, for mailing me things and staying on top of production schedules and being all around kind and accommodating. Also for being a willing participant in any Mel-pranking that may need doing … I’m sort of being presumptuous here.
Thanks to Lauren Hougen, for an excellent set of copyedits. You caught a lot of stupid, and made me remember who got injured and where.
Kathleen Doherty is just about the best publisher anyone could ask for, and she gives excellent advice on dog ownership to boot. Thank you, Kathleen.
Thanks to amazing author April Genevieve Tucholke, for her sense of adventure, welcoming spirit, and many, many interesting and lucrative career alternatives. The beefalo call us, April. One day we’ll heed them. And ride them.
Thank you to the librarians, who get books into folks’ hands every day. Thanks to the bloggers, who love reading and love forcing their love onto other people.
Thank you to the readers, who, if you are reading these words, have truly made it through to the very end of the Goddess War trilogy. You stuck it out. Made the journey with me, and Athena, and our troubled and troublesome Cassandra. That means so much. I hope you’ll come along to a few more places yet.
Usual suspects roll call: my brother, Ryan Vander Venter, thanks for toting me around whenever I need a media escort in Minnesota. You are a good brother, even if your popcorn is too salty and you make me listen to you recite sports champions in chronological order. Susan Murray, who reads everything even though she forgets it all and has to read it over again. Infinite reads! Missy Goldsmith, who has no time to read anything anymore, but once the kids are older I know you will read them all on a magnificent bender. Mom and Dad, you guys are more supportive than the very best Wonderbra. Dad, apologies for comparing you to a bra. You are more supportive than the very best … athletic supporter? And finally to my first reader, and great pop pop, Dylan Zoerb, for luck.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
KENDARE BLAKE holds an M.A. in creative writing from Middlesex University in northern London. She is the critically acclaimed author of Anna Dressed in Blood, Girl of Nightmares, and The Goddess War trilogy, including Antigoddess, Mortal Gods, and Ungodly. She lives and writes in Lynnwood, Washington. You can sign up for email updates here.